Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1887-04-21
AIDING AND ABETTING.

Every applicant for registration must
subscribe TO an oath that he will obey
the Act of which the designated oath
composes part, and that he will not
directly or indirectly, aid or abet, coun-
sci or advise any other person to commit
any of the crimes enumerated in the Act.
Polygamy, unlawful cohabitation, adul-
terry and fornication are the crimes men
toned in the law. While there can be
no question in regard to the disability OF
those who actually commit any of the
offenses mentioned in the statute, there
is evidently considerable room for dis
cGssion as to what constitutes aiding and
abetting, counselling or advising the COM
mission of such acts. In the matter of
adultery and fornication, we cannot
imagine how any person can conscien-
tiously take the oath and afterwards
rent building, knowing that it is
to used as a house of prostitution.
We cannot conceive how any person who
has subscribed to the oath can introduce
male associate to a woman of immoral
character, when he has reason to believe
that the acquaintance will result in the
violation of the law. A man who makes
an immoral proposition to a woman, is,
in our opinion, as fragrant violator of
the oath he has taken, if the proposition
is declined, as though it was accepted
and the act of adultery or fornication
actually committed. A man cannot,
without violating his oath, loan money
TO friend, knowing that it is to be used
for an immoral purpose, which is vio-
lation Of the law. There are scores of
other things which we might mention
which should debar all conscientious
Gentiles from taking the oath unless they
intend to refrain from them until the time
arrives for them to renew their obliga-
tons, if they choose to do so. The
adultery and forncation clause is as
binding upon the consciences of honor
able Gentiles, as the polygamy and un-
lawful cohabitation provisions should be
upon the Mormons, and it is to be hoped
that they will be most strictly observed,
in all cases. Now to the provisions
which apply exclusively to the Saints.
All of this class are debarred from
voting who in any manner aid or abet,
counsel or advice polygamy or unlawful
cohabitation, as the latter is distinguished
in the law from ordinary adultery or for
nication. 1t is perhaps easy enough for
them to get around the counselling
and advising restriction, by refrain
ing from actually encouraging by
word of mouth the commission
OF the peculiar offenses of the Mormon
Church forbidden by the law. 1t must
strike every intelligent person, however,
that it is impossible to remain in good
standing in the Mormon Church without
aiding and abeting the commission of
two of the crimes mentioned in the oath.
Every dollar paid as tithing to an institu-
ton, the very foundation of which is one
of the forbidden crimes, is not an in
direct, but direct aid and allotment of
the ofenses prescribed by the law which
embraces the oath which must be sub
scribed to before the applicant is entitled
to vote. Membership in an organization
which encourages, counsels and practices
polygamy, gives to that organization
the moral support of every person who
belongs to it, and is at least an
indirect aiding and abetting of the un-
lawful practice. Even the intention to
vote the so-calied Peoples ticket is suii-
cent reason to prevent every conscientious
Mormon from taking the oath. 1t is a |
ticket dictated by the leaders of the poly |
gamous Church, with no National prin-
clples to represent, but which is |
nominated and elected for the sole pur-
pose of perpetuating polygamy and con-
tinuing in power those who encourage
and practice it. We hope that not only
the Mormons, bat the class of Gentiles
to which we have referred, will take
these matters into consideration and re-
fleet seriously before they take the oath,
the obligations of which involve the re-
strictions we have mentioned. 1t is
quite certain that no honorable or con-
scientious man, either Gentle or Nor
mon, can subscribe to the prescribed
oath, who has not made up his mind to
refrain from aiding or abetting, by any OF
the means above mentioned, the COM
mission of any of the crimes enumerated
in the law